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In response to a request from Ohio University Athens, Ohio, concerning worker exposures and cleaning effectiveness during a lead based paint cleaning pilot program conducted by a lead abatement contractor (SIC-1799), three cleaning methods were evaluated. The pilot program involved testing the three methods in unoccupied buildings contaminated with deteriorated lead (7439921) based paint. A visit was made to the site to observe work practices, and conduct air, surface, and bulk sampling for lead. The three cleaning methods included dry scraping followed by broom sweeping, wet scraping followed by high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtered vacuuming, and wet scraping followed by HEPA vacuuming with a HEPA filtered air filtration device placed in the room to exhaust room air to the outside. Six workers cleaned 18 rooms in 1 day. Sampling for lead was conducted before, during and after cleaning. The authors conclude that workers were potentially overexposed to lead during the three methods. The wet HEPA method was the best for controlling lead exposures. Even using this method, lead exposures during cleaning reached 50 micrograms/cubic meter. The cleaning effectiveness of the three methods was not significantly different. The authors recommend that the contractor furnish workers with NIOSH approved HEPA filter respirators, protective clothing, a clean change area, handwashing facilities, and job specific hazard training.